Generation of a dynamic polarized laser beam for applications in laser welding

Abstract

The temporal control and optimization of laser beam parameters, e.g., the beam power, can be employed to enhance the quality and reliability of the welding process. Until now, the influence of a time-dependent beam polarization has been less investigated in welding. The publication describes a new experimental arrangement allowing the fast variation of the polarization of CO2 laser radiation [“dynamic polarization” (DP)]. The key element of the setup is a high power interference laser beam modulator for cw laser power rating of up to 4 kW. Weld seams were produced with different process parameters in the technically relevant steels St37 and Ck45 and in the precoated steel 22MnB5 (USIBOR 1500P). The welds were subsequently characterized by roughness measurements of the top bead surfaces and by the preparation of cross sections and their macroscopic analysis. The experiments on welding with DP showed a significant influence on the keyhole and melt pool dynamics, especially a reduction in the top bead roughness at certain DP frequencies up to a factor of about 3. In addition, a threshold behavior for this effect was observed. It was shown that the cross sectional shape and thus the degree of energy coupling to the material was unaffected by the DP. Finally, during welding USIBOR 1500P with DP an enhanced melt pool stirring was achieved. The results show that the temporal modulation of energy coupling to the material caused by DP is suitable to enhance the quality and reliability of the welding process.